This review refers to the Paramount DVD edition of "Ghost"....A man is shot and killed. His body dies, but not his spirit. Before leaving this world for the next, he must find a way to warn his lover that she is in impending danger from the culprits. Sound just a little familiar? It should. The idea for this story is loosely based on none other then "Hamlet". This though is not quite as deep or complex as Shakespeare's great tragedy. It is however, a thought provoking, touching story that has a little something for everybody. It's got romance,comedy, mystery and suspense, fantasy, action and most importantly...WHOOPI!
So how does Sam(Patrick Swayze) manage to make contact with his beloved Molly(Demi Moore) after his death? Well he goes through a psychic of course. Not just any psychic though..he finds a medium who's larger than life..Oda Mae Brown(Whoopi Goldberg).
Together, they turn Molly into a believer(along with the audience) and chase down the murderous thugs out to get her.
The action, and suspense will keep you on the edge of your seat, the romance will thrill you and the special effects are dazzling. Whoopi Goldberg is fabulous, and provides the wonderful comic relief in the story, as a con artist who finds herself with a gift to give. She took home an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for this 1990 film. The film was also honored with the Best Original Screenplay. Swayze and Moore seem like they were made for each other and will have you believing in love ever after.
The DVD presents a nice clear picture in widescreen and the sound gives you the choice of DD5.1 surround or stereo surround. It may also be viewed in French(stereo) and has English subtitles for those needing them. The features include commentary by the Director(Jerry Zucker), and Writer (Bruce Joel Rubin), as well as an informative retrospective on the film(this is where I learned of the "Hamlet" connection).
The film is rated PG-13. There are some scenes of violence and of course there's the very sensuous clay sculpting scene to the tune of "Unchained Melody"(who can ever forget that?!)
If you have already seen this movie, and know it's one that you will watch over and over(and to that I would say "Ditto"), this great DVD is a bargain. If you haven't seen it, it's well worth a try and will keep everybody involved for the entire length of the film.
Go for it and enjoy....Laurie
also recommended:
Along for the Ride
Maxie [VHS]
The Color Purple
What is so special about the story is the connection between the two romantic leads. Swayze plays Sam Wheat, who, with his longtime girlfriend Molly, is remodeling a penthouse apartment in New York, where they soon live together, completely happy and in love. We have no reason to question the love story angle because the direction and acting tell us from the very beginning the nature of their relationship, and does it in understandable terms. Sam also works for a major banking corporation, where he has a best friend Carl, who seems more than willing to take certain workloads off of Sam's shoulders. One night, Sam and Molly are set upon by a thief, who demands Sam's wallet, and after a struggle, Sam is left with a fatal gunshot wound. Of course, being dead, he is now a ghost, and must watch as Molly comes to the realization that her lover is dead.
The acting of these two actors is what makes all of this incredibly affecting, most especially Molly's coping with Sam's sudden exit from her life. She keeps his personal things, as well as any little scrap of paper or memory she can hold onto, with Sam watching all of this from behind her shoulder and Carl trying his best to comfort and console her. Sam soon pays a visit to a con artist medium named Otta Mae Brown, played by Whoopi Goldberg, who is the only person that Sam is able to talk to. The comedy of the movie really picks up as we are given scenes of Brown walking in the streets arguing with the air, talking to the walls, and having hissy fits with Sam in public. Goldberg is really given a chance to shine in this role, playing out some of her best lines and material ever.
Comedy then mixes with drama and action as the plot reveals that Carl was a mastermind behind a murder conspiracy. Carl is in desperate need of money, and when he found out that Sam was in charge of a four million dollar bank account, he hired a hitman to have Sam killed in order to try and take over the account and steal the money. As he further tries to worm his way into Molly's life, Sam becomes more and more determined to try and find a way of reaching her aside from giving Otta Mae instructions on what to say to her. Swayze is able to give us a powerhouse performance here, as his character sits back and can do nothing to physically protect his love. He feels weak, helpless, and these emotions are played out brilliantly.
The film won an Academy Award, one of two, for Best Original Screenplay for 1990. The script is a melting pot of many different elements: comedy that comes from the relationship of Otta Mae and Sam's collaboration, supernatural elements stemming from the ghost angle, thriller techniques that reside in the mystery of Sam's death and Carl's intentions, and most important, the love story that Molly and Sam live out, which serves as the basis for everything that happens. It has a little bit of everything for everyone, which gave diverse audiences what they wanted and made it a sheer success among people.
Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze both give excellent performances that keep the love story going. They both have a chemistry that never stops or staggers the film, but keeps it going. Whoopi Goldberg is Otta Mae Brown, a role she was born to play and for which she won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Her comic genius and diverse areas of acting play a major role, and sometimes become the heart of the film. Tony Goldwyn plays the conniving Carl, and does so effectively. He is one of those few people in a movie that the audience can truly despise for his crimes, and when the ending comes, it is pure satisfaction to watch him get what's coming to him.
"Ghost" is nothing short of a successful movie, keeping us enthralled with comedic, romantic and thrilling elements, making us believe in things beyond this world. It never stops moving, it is utterly original, and it keeps us at the edge of our seats as well as tugging at our hearts.Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze are a couple madly in love with each other when Swayze is murdered but just won't entirely go away. His ghost is hanging around, protecting Moore from some bad guys and trying to figure out a way to give someone the information needed to nail his killer. The movie veers between genres: horror, sci-fi, romance, mystery. And then, there's Whoopi Goldberg in another signature role (she won an Oscar for this one); she plays a medium who is shocked to find that she really IS gifted with second sight and her confusion as she comes to grips with her newfound power is hilarious to watch as she works with Swayze to pass on the incriminating criminal information.
It's a tear jerker, especially the scene in which ghost and Goldberg revisit Moore in a passionate, loving, romantic sayonara interlude set to the music of the Righteous brothers.
Marvelous sentimental schmaltz that works perfectly in every way.
Read Best Reviews of Ghost (1990) Here
I doubt very much if very many people have not heard of this movie. If you haven't, welcome back from the Moon and boy are you in for a treat! One of the greatest Date Flicks of all time, this movie is MANDATORY SEEING as a couple, especially DVD with surround, the lights low, the scented candles on, and plenty of Kleenex! Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore play roles you have never seen before, as does Whoopi Goldberg. The range of emotions displayed are breathtaking, and many scenes will make you have tears in your eyes.Yes, it is a moving story, one that will make you cheer and will make you cry, but in the end, it will leave something behind in you. The story is original, fast paced and well crafted. You not will not get lost in this movie, and the timing is perfect.
This is the movie that re-made the Righteous Brothers "Unchained Melody" hit for them a second time. This song is perfect for this movie, and delivers the added puch to the scene it is in.
If you have not seen this move SEE IT! If you have a DVD, this is mandatory for any collection. Is this for children? It is in my opinion too intense for under 14. This is a modern love story, and should be seen with the one you love or intend to.
In DVD Format, the soundtrack surrounds you and adds something that you can't get from network TV and un-interrupted. It is a vital part of this movie
A "HIGHLY RECOMMENDED"This classic stands up well. There are some nice additions to this BR-Disc such as interviews from the time the movie was made which are a little haunting when Patrick Swayze appears for his insight. So, the special features are enough to lure you in more about this movie and it 's background.
The Blue Ray transfer either could have been better or it was as good as it was going to get. The clarity is soft (but improved from the DVD version)and blacks are okay. The color match up well but are not instant by first notice. The audio is decent as well. So, if you are interested for Blue Ray reasons? It is a nice investment to your collection ongoing or just starting out.
But, I strongly suggest to first check out either or Blue Ray Digest for a more well thought out review of this classic.
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